The free skating segment of figure skating, also called the free skate and the long program, is the second of two segments of competitions, skated after the short program. Its duration, across all disciplines, is four minutes for senior skaters and teams, and three and one-half minutes for junior skaters and teams. Vocal music with lyrics is allowed for all disciplines since the 2014—2015 season. The free skating program, across all disciplines, must be well-balanced and include certain elements described and published by the International Skating Union (ISU).

The free skating program, also called the free skate or long program, along with the short program, is a segment of single skating, pair skating, and synchronized skating in all ISU championships, the Olympic Winter Games, the Winter Youth Olympic Games, and for junior and senior level skaters, all ISU Grand Prix events and finals for both junior and senior-level skaters. The free skating program is skated after the short program. Its duration, across all disciplines, is four minutes for senior skaters and teams, and three and one-half minutes for junior skaters and teams. The ISU states that the time a program begins "must be reckoned" from the moment the skater begins to move or skate until they come to a complete stop at the end of their program. All programs in all disciplines must be skated to music of the competitor's choosing; vocal music with lyrics has been allowed in all disciplines since the 2014—2015 season. The first time vocal music was allowed at the Olympics was in 2018. Quintuple jumps are allowed in both single skating and pair skating, but only as individual jumps and not part of a jump combination or a jump sequence. Only two triple, quadruple, and quintuple jumps can be executed twice in a free skating program, and no triple jump, quadruple jump, or quintuple jump can be executed more than twice. The ISU goes on to state, about these jumps, "Of the two repetitions only one can be a quadruple jump or quint jump. If both executions are as solo jumps, the second of these solo jumps will be attributed 70% of its numerical value".

According to figure skating historian James R. Hines, the Viennese style of figure skating, which developed into the international style adopted by the International Skating Union (ISU), the organization that oversees figure skating, "provides a direct link to modern free skating". Free skating, developed when skaters connected individual compulsory figures into a cohesive program, has been a part of international competitions throughout the ISU's history, becoming more important and popular after World War II. The free skate, along with compulsory figures, was a segment in competitions until 1973, when the short program was added. The first judges' handbook for the free skating program was published by the ISU in 1965.

American skater Ilia Malinin holds the highest single men's free skating program score of 227.79 points, which he earned at the 2024 World Figure Skating Championships. Kamila Valieva from Russia holds the highest single women's free skating score of 185.29 points, which she earned at the 2021 Rostelecom Cup. Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov from Russia hold the highest pairs free skating score of 157.46, which they earned at the 2022 European Championships.

According to the ISU, a free skating program for men and women single skaters "consists of a well balanced program of Free Skating elements, such as jumps, spins, steps and other linking movements executed with minimal two-footed skating, in harmony with music of the Competitor's choice, vocal music with lyrics is permitted". Skaters have "complete freedom" to select any free skating elements they choose; the sum of the elements make up an entire free skating program. All the elements must be linked together by connecting different steps and other comparable free skating movements. Skaters must use the entire ice surface. Forward and backward crossovers, however, do not constitute connecting steps. If a skater performs more elements than what is prescribed, only the first attempt, or the allowed number of attempts, is counted in their final score.

A well-balanced free skate must consist of the following:

The ISU states that "[i]ndividual jumps can contain any number of revolutions". Skaters can execute up to three jump combinations or jump sequences in the free skating program and can consist of the same or a different single, double, triple, or quadruple jump. One jump combination may consist of up to three jumps, while the other two jump combinations can consist of up to two jumps. As of the 2026—2027 season, a jump combination and a jump sequence can include the same or another quadruple, triple, double, or single jump. Skaters can execute a maximum of two jump combinations or one jump combination without adding an Euler jump and one jump sequence. Skaters can execute an Euler jump only once, and it must be between two of their listed jumps. According to the ISU, "One jump combination or one jump sequence may consist of up to three jumps, the other one of up to two jumps".

Any double jump, including the double Axel, cannot be included more than two times; i.e., as a solo jump or as part of a jump combination or jump sequence. Only two types of triple and quadruple jumps can be executed twice or attempted more than twice. Jumps are judged in the order of execution. The ISU requires that "if an extra jump(s) is executed only the individual jump which is not according to the requirements will have no value". As of the 2016—2027 season, the "same type of jump independent of the number of revolutions can be included not more than three times". Skaters cannot execute any double jump, including the double Axel, more than twice when it is part of a solo jump or a jump that is part of a jump combination and/or a jump sequence. All triple and quadruple jumps can only be performed or attempted twice, and only one of the two repetitions can be a quadruple jump.